Ordering rice – You want rice? You gotta say it aloud. Rice is rarely served during a meal in Chinese restaurants, being seen as a cheap way to fill up at the end if needed.

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Trespass with confidence – More traditional Chinese scenes are hidden in alleyways. Those worn footpaths into lanes and hutongs are public spaces, which hold some of the most captivating views in China's big cities.

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Get a backstreet breakfast – In order to get some local color, "take to the backstreets behind your hotel for an early breakfast of dumplings or noodles and watch the area wake up while you eat," suggests Australian business traveler Matthew Tobin.

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Find art in unusual places – Some boutique hotels provide interesting art experiences, like this wall comprising more than 6,000 drawers at Opposite House Hotel in the Sanlitun area of Beijing.

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Tea education – China grows some of the world's finest tea. If you can't make it to the source, Shanghai's Laoximen Tea Plaza houses a variety of specialty tea shops.

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Story highlights

China is an unquestionably fabulous tourist destination, but can rattle even veteran travelers

The language barrier is a big problem unless you have a good language app

China is a safe place but you should be aware of its notorious air pollution

If you want to take great pictures in China, an excellent camera bag and polarizing filter are necessary

Exploring China can rattle even veteran travelers.

And understandably so.

It's a huge country with enough languages and dialects to leave even many native Chinese flummoxed at the thought of communicating away from home.

But traveling away from the big cities isn't scary, and it's not unmanageable.

Traveling for the past few years from my home base in Shanghai, I've picked up a lot of tips -- both from my own experiences and from others -- that make life on the road in China a little bit easier and a lot more rewarding.

Here are 20 of them to get you started.

1. Score extra beds the easy way

Chinese hotels aren't too fussy when it comes to matching the number of beds to the number of people, particularly when the extra bodies are children.

For families, this can save a lot of cash. Rather than needing two rooms, a family of four can get cozy in a twin room, where both beds are the same size as a regular double bed.

2. Follow proper currency protocol

When in north China, save the coins for the piggy bank.

Don't insult a Shanghai taxi driver by burdening him with small bills, such as 1 yuan or 5 jiao notes. He likes the jingle of coins.

Conversely, in northern and western China, expect market vendors to reject coins outright.

The basic dictionary app is free. It costs US$14.95 to buy the optical character recognition function (compatible with the iPhone 4 or 5 camera). Point the iPhone at a Chinese menu and get an instant translation.

4. Customize your gifts

Have fine items made by hand and to order -- a neon sign of your name, pair of riding boots, set of sheets, oak cabinet, silk quilt or cashmere coat.

China is the land of possibilities. If you can dream it, someone can make it.

The Shandong Juancheng Neon-Plasma Tech company make customized neon signs in one week and will ship anywhere.

Rice is rarely served during a meal in Chinese restaurants, being seen as a cheap way to fill up at the end if needed.

Anyone wanting rice with his or her meal should make it clear to the waiter by saying: mifan (rice) mashang (straight away).

7. Toilet paper reminder

Toilet tissue is rarely found in public restrooms in China. Carry your own supplies.

8. Sidestep difficult breakfasts

Outside of large cities and internationally branded hotels, Chinese hotel breakfasts cater exclusively to the local market.

This is no issue for anyone fond of congee and pickles, but can be an unimaginable hurdle for children or picky eaters. Bring a box of their favorite cereal and a few small cartons of milk and everyone starts the day happy.

In order to get some local color on business trips that will otherwise be spent inside taxis and boardrooms, "take to the backstreets behind your hotel for an early breakfast of dumplings or noodles and watch the area wake up while you eat," suggests Australian business traveler Matthew Tobin.

Taking small but manageable risks when traveling in China with children can reap big rewards.

Three Mountain (San Shan) Island northwest of Shanghai is an ideal spot to venture away from the big city for the weekend with the family.

"Our family took a weekend trip by train and boat to San Shan Dao, where we had an extraordinary China experience staying in small local guest houses and exploring the island," says Lynette MacDonald, editor in chief of Shanghai Family magazine and frequent traveler with children.